Valorant to keep increasing total number of franchise teams every year

On August 16, Riot Games addressed the fate of Valorant Esports and Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) in 2023. Alongside explaining the format for the tournament circuit, the video game giant also cleared a lot of doubts regarding the partnership program. The program will accommodate new teams every year going forward, according to officials.

After months of speculation and debate, the VCT 2023 format is finally out, and it shows incredible promise. That said, the partnership program has reduced the chances for underdog teams to participate in International Leagues, which is just what fans feared. Riot Games hasn't been entirely one-sided, however.

VCT 2023 will see two new interesting additions, an in-game competitive mode catering to esports and three regional Challengers Ascension tournaments. The circuit will also oversee domestic leagues for all Valorant players and International Leagues exclusive to those in the partnership program.

While the new competitive mode is expected to pave the way to Valorant esports for every player in the game, the Ascension tournaments will give the top three teams from eligible regions a chance to compete in the International Leagues as well as other benefits.

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Valorant will host up to 14 teams per International League

The partnership program will reportedly start with 10 teams per International League. The three eligible regions are the Pacific, the Americas, and EMEA. As announced, the program is capped at a maximum of 14 teams per region/International League. The format shows that it will accommodate one new team in 2024 and 2025 and two new teams in 2026 and 2027.

VCT 2023 format (Image via Riot Games)

VCT 2023 will host 21 challenger leagues across the world, allowing every deserving team a chance to prove their merit. The domestic challengers will lead to the Challengers Ascension, a new regional tournament that will highlight the best team in a region.

Three regions will have three champions, all of whom will be eligible to join Riot's partnership program. The contract will be valid for two years, after which the teams will have to return to ground level, Challengers, and prove themselves again.

International Leagues in VCT 2023 (Image via Riot Games)

The first addition to the partnership program via the Ascension tournament will be in 2024. And each International League will host 14 teams in 2027 and 2028, leading to a total of 42 teams in total.

The new VCT format looks promising but should be implemented well in order to be successful and well-received by fans. However, there's no denying the fact that Valorant esports is set to receive humongous change in 2023.